Performance Of Straightbred And Crossbred Tabapua Cattle On Brachiaria Pasture In Bahia State

The aim of this study was to compare the different genetic groups performances from weaning to slaughter. The data are referred to 827 male calves of Tabapua cows crossed with Red Angus (REDTAB) and Santa Gertrudis sires and from Tabapua x Red Angus cows crossed with Santa Gertrudis sires, born from 1999 to 2001 and raised in Brachiaria pastures, in Bahia state, Brazil. The weaning weight was adjusted to 205 days (WW205), slaughter weight (SW), average daily gain from weaning to slaughter (ADG) and age slaughter (AG), were analyzed. The contemporary group (CG), genetic group (GG) and the interaction between CG and GG influenced the parameters (P<0.05). The REDTAB showed superiority between GG for ADG in 1CG, with an average of 0.522kg (P<0.05). The crossbreed STATAB and STAREDTAB weren't different to ADG (P>0.05), however, had lower averages than REDTAB and TAB. In more favorable environmental conditions, REDTAB should get higher ADG and SW and lower AG, being superior than Tabapua and to the second generation's crossbred (F2). The crossbred F2 showed no advantage over F1crossbred and straightbred.